Osborne Mooney was born in Miami county, Ohio, October 11, 1827. At an early age, his father removed to Allen county, Indiana, locating near the village of Huntertown, about ten miles from Ft. Wayne. There Mr. Mooney lived until the fall of 1872, when he came with his family to Kansas, settling on a farm on the West Branch of the Whitewater, two and one-half miles west of Towanda. This farm is still owned by his family, and was occupied by them until 1897, when Mr. Mooney retired from active life, and moved to El Dorado, where he lived until his death, February 2, 1908.

On August 23, 1857, Mr. Mooney was married in Allen county, Indiana, to Adelaide Kikley, also of that place. To this union were born three daughters: Frances E., Mrs Volney P. Mooney of El Dorado; Harriett E.; Mrs. William R. Green, of Towanda; and Nevada B., Mrs. William B. Gaskins, of Portland, Ore.

Mr. Mooney was pre-eminently a farmer, having followed that occupation all of the active years of his life. He was especially successful in grafting fruit trees and producing budded fruit. This was his greatest interest. He was also a remarkable worker among bees. These, he went among fearlessly, holding conversation with them as he wrought. Had Mr. Mooney lived in a later day, he would probably have specialized in one of these professions with great profit.

Mr. Mooney enlisted in August, 1862, and with his two brothers and three brothers-in-law, served to the end of the war. His military life is epitomized in this: He enlisted in Allen county, Indiana, August 5, 1862. in Company C, Eighty-eighth regiment Indiana infantry. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Hoover's Gap, Tullahoma, Hilisboro, and Elk River, Tennessee; Dug Gap and Chickamaugua, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Grenville and Ringgold; marched with Sherman in the Atlanta campaign and was in engagements at Buzzard Roost, Resacca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta and Utoy Creek; was with Sherman in his famous march to the sea and was mustered out June 7, 1865. He was wounded at Perryville, Kentucky, by a gun shot wound in the mouth, breaking out his teeth and parts of his jaw bone. At Atlanta, he received a wound in the right shoulder, the ball passing through and lodging in his left breast, where it remained. He was bayoneted in the elbow at Kenesaw Mountain, causing a permanent injury, the arm being dislocated. He was of military stock. His grandfather, Freeman Mooney, was in the Revolutionary war under General Washington.

He was a Christian for over sixty years, and at the time of his death was a member of the Christian Church at Towanda. He was a member of W. H. L. Wallace Post 66, Grand Army of the Republic,

and of Patmos Lodge No. 97, Masons. During his last illness his only desire seemed to be to have his wife, children and grandchildren at his bedside. All except one grandchild were present, one was unavoidably detained. His regret when called from this life was not the severing of the brittle thread of this existence, but was the cutting asunder of those ties of love and affection that bound him to those whose presence and companionship made life's labors a pleasure rather than a burden. In every relation of life Mr. Mooney was examplary, a thoroughly good man, a patriot, soldier, citizen, husband, father, friend and neighbor. He was honored widely as he was known.

Previous | Main Page | Biography Index | Next

Pages 443-444,